Northside football falls in final minutes of season opener against Eagle’s Landing

WARNER ROBINS — The Northside Eagles celebrated the architect of their program, Conrad Nix, during their season opener against Eagle’s Landing on Saturday.

During halftime the field was filled end zone to end zone with players, coaches, teachers, anyone who’d been touched by Nix during his 24 seasons as head coach.

“He’s the pillar of my community…I mean he built this place,” Head coach Daniel Williams said. “The field was lined with people, the stadium was packed because of Conrad Nix. That’s why they were here, he made this, he built it from scratch. All hats off to him he deserved everything.”

The Golden Eagles did come out on top 20-14 on a last-minute strike from quarterback Tyler Fletcher, marking the start of what will be an arduous journey if the Eagles are to return to their status as a powerhouse in the state.

Both teams put up a goose egg in the first half, but late in third quarter Northside had all the momentum and it looked like they would roll to their first victory since Aug. 23, 2024.

Braylon Price started the half strong with a return to the 35-yard line, but the promising drive was blown up when JD Garman’s pass was tipped into the hands of a Golden Eagles’ defensive back, who returned the interception 56 yards for the first score of the game.

Northside’s next drive ended with a failed fourth down conversion, and it looked like the offense might be locked out of the game.

But as the third quarter went on the Eagles moved away from the Travis English Jr inside runs Eagle’s Landing was so honed in on.

They allowed junior quarterback Wyatt Henson to air out the ball a little with mixed results.

It did succeed in drawing defensive pass interference penalties which kept some drives alive. But they finally saw some real results after Jacaleb Greene recovered a fumble on the Eagle’s Landing 44-yard line.

Henson found Garman down the right sideline for a 40-yard bomb to the 4-yard line as the Eagles threatened to put up the first offensive touchdown for either team.

And that they did; Henson rolled out right facing pressure and flicked it to Braylon Price in the end zone for six plus the extra point, giving Northside the lead with 8:03 to play in the third.

The defense forced a three-and-out, and the Golden Eagles’ punted it straight in the air and the Northside offense ended up on the 25-yard line ready to add to the score.

Just like that, Henson dropped a beautiful pass in Price’s bucket on a corner route in the end zone, making it a 14-6 game with about four minutes to go in the third.

Eagle’s Landing looked defeated after that, especially when the Eagles’ defense came out with a big tackle for a loss on the next drive. Their body language said they were ready to lay down and take the loss, but one penalty gave them the juice they needed.

Eagle’s Landing lined up on fourth down and drew Northside offsides, which gave them a first down. Soon after running back Ronald Isadore tore through the defense to the Eagles’ 34-yard line, and on a 4th-and-10 heave the Golden Eagles’ brought down a touchdown pass.

In the fourth quarter Fletcher rolled out under pressure and delivered a 55-yard strike to the end zone for the go-ahead score. McConnell-Talber Stadium, deflated, began to empty.

“Our youthfulness and inexperience showed up at the wrong time,” Williams said of the fourth-quarter collapse. “Any team you can’t do that on. Shouts out to Eagle’s Landing for having a game plan together, they made more plays than us…We need to build off these experiences and go from there.”

UP NEXT

Northside will host Baldwin on Friday, Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m.

The Golden Eagles will travel to McDonough to continue their three-game road trip to start the season on Friday, Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m.